Before I reply, I just want to say thank you for the time you took to write this. The message was informative, real, and respectful. There is no way to not appreciate communication like that.
I know the business potential I had will inevitably suffer permanently from the events from the last 5-6 weeks. It saddens me; but there is a portion of it that will be forever beyond my ability to change. I have no choice but to accept those customers who are lost to me; and move on to do a good job for those who remain.
I don't expect these issues to be forgotten; nor would I want them to. If nothing else, my mistakes and misfortunes may, one day, prevent someone from believing that their online security is completely foolproof. I know my education from this has been invaluable going forward as a customer and/or source.
I will attempt to answer your requests/questions as orderly as possible here while using quote excerpts from your post.
The time line of events is as follows:
- 9-19: I learned of the shipping oddity and found the unicode drafts in my email; announcement was made and I went silent to try to sort it all out
- 9-30: I returned with explanations of what I knew about the events
- 10-2: I answered questions and posted what other information I had
- 10-3: I fell from a ladder and spent 2 nights in the hospital
- 10-5: I posted about that accident
- 10-6: I went back to the hospital
- 10-8: I posted more and answered more questions
- 10-9 through 10-27: I focused on recovering and working on my new lab when possible
- 10-28: I finished moving in and returned to the forum
I know it doesn't seem like any great feat; but I felt accomplished to get it all set back up in that amount of time. A few of those days I did not work at all because of the soreness. There was so much work to be done and so much negative energy in the forum during that time that I elected to work on progressing rather than immersing in the negative conversation. The decision to keep my distance felt right; and I hope that it, in time, proves to be so.
Regarding coming back with a
“swiftly built new lab ready to go”: It was not swiftly built, by any means. The basic construction was completed before my source introduction. The vast majority of the expense was already paid for prior to my introduction.
I did use the money made through sales for new raw materials purchase. There will be more about this later.
I finished the lab with the money from my job. I had a relatively large private contract signed shortly after I started selling; so my legitimate finances improved during that time period to allow me to complete the finishing touches. It seems that you could have possibly overlooked my simultaneous legitimate career?
“
Surgery orders with all identifying information marked out?” There are no surgical orders because I didn't have surgery. My procedures were done in the ER both times.
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Pictures of your injuries maybe?” I have a large rib piece with 3 of my children's names in it; and it cannot be cropped out of the area where my scar is.
“
Hospital bills with all identifying information marked out?” I have a hospital bill on my desk that I marked the ID information out of. I would be happy to send that to you; but I am a more than a bit hesitant to post it in the open. My injuries, dates of injuries and admissions, and my shipping region/state are public knowledge. I feel that posting a bill could possibly narrow down my treatment facility; and then ultimately my identity. I could be being overcautious; but, God, how can I not be now? Would you like for me to email it?
Regarding LE:
I have not had any contact with any agency. Please believe that I have spent countless hours daydreaming of getting that call or knock. I knew that is the risk I assumed when I went for sale; but I sure want to avoid it at all costs.
Regarding
“I've watched what happens when people flip and it looks verbatim like your situation.”:
I was having a conversation with someone this morning about this very subject. I know, for certain, that I would not place another person on the tracks to save myself from the train. I know this because it was done to me when I was younger-----not by a stranger either; and it was a betrayal I had never felt before or since. I spent 5 days in county jail: enough time to know that confinement is something I would not wish on any person. I cannot do to someone what I know would hurt me if I were in his place. It is how I am built; and I have been told that me reluctance to self-protect will one day be my downfall. All I can say is that I will fall with dignity when I fall.
Regarding
“If you have a new lab, everyone would be relieved to see pictures of it just like in your introduction.”:
My new lab is not a typical structure. The materials, techniques, and design of it are a dead giveaway for anyone who has ever seen something similar. I can't find a way to explain it without a full description; but try to imagine a structure that you could identify by seeing only 2 feet of any interior wall. Now consider that my construction, while secluded and obscured by a working facade, was not invisible to those passing by or to the utility companies. I can't show images of it. I just can't.
I realize that I will lose many people to the fear of legal trouble because of refusal to provide certain things; and that is an acceptable loss for my sanity and security. Ultimately, anyone who would object to my withholding this information would actually be glad I withheld it if they were to ever know what it is that I can't reveal. Heck, I made people angry with the information in my introduction because I “said too much”; so I am very free with my information. So if it gives me pause, then my pause should appeal to those same people that criticized me for the “excess” information I provided earlier.
I have learned that an attempt to please everyone is an absolute exercise in insanity. I'd love to meet all the demands of every member; but I can't. I accept my inability in that regard; and I am determined to be satisfied with my best efforts.
Guys, I really want to keep doing this because I like doing it. The products are good and well made with attention to safety; and I am proud of them. This thing is almost like a child to me; in that, I gave it life from nothing and I am proud of it. It is natural to not want to give up in order to see it mature into something beautiful. With that said, I know it is inanimate; and I can cut my losses if it is necessary. I simply just don't believe it is necessary at this point.
Thank you to whomever has read this reply and thank you again to
@OnTheRize for the well written and respectful inquiries.
Please feel free to ask anything of me. I cannot guarantee that I will comply with all requests; but I can vow to give any request genuine consideration.
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